Single Menu Page with Bv and PHP - Page 5

Dori · #**121** 01-17-2007, 02:47 PM

)#(*$)@(#&@)(*
I was so proud of myself... Naval! I followed all of your instructions on adding a menu bar in iFrames (it worked beautifully by the way) and now I see this. What is a girl to do???
Can you please tell me what the benefits and differences are between iframe menu bar and php, in a nutshell please?
thank you

Dori · #**122** 01-17-2007, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navaldesign

No problem at all. Furtermore, i suggest that you use a CSS text based menu both in the home page as well as for the php menu include page. This way, all your internal links will be available to SE spiders imediately.

Naval... I think I am just getting more confused with the more I read.

I am dumping the beautiful menu I made with the iFrame tutorial and will now be implementing the PHP single menu page.

Question: If I use the CSS menu generator that you list in this forum, can I use that as my menu and insert the code on the blank page instead of creating a menu bar before I continue on with the rest of this tutorial?
Does that make sense? To reiterate; can I replace CSS menu language for the BV menu bar and continue to set up my menu page with PHP?
Inquiring minds want to know!
thanks

navaldesign · #**123** 01-17-2007, 03:29 PM

Dori,

the php menu has many advantages over the Iframe solution, with first in the list the fact that it is SE friendly.

More over, i suggest that the menubar is a CSS one, because it's MUCH faster (has the same speed as BV's drop down menus) whilst classic BV menubars are slow (they need to load the single button images) and more SE friendly because they are text based, so SE spiders can spot the links to the other pages.

yes, you can create the CSS menubar, then either place it directly in the page, or use the method described here. This method has the advantage that you only create ONE menubar, which is then implemented in all your pages. This way, if you have to update your menubar, you simply change the menubar page and all your pages are automatically updated.

Dori · #**124** 01-17-2007, 06:23 PM

You are the best Naval.... thanks! I will generate the menu bar through CSS and then install using your php guidelines!

AWS · #**125** 01-25-2007, 11:45 AM

Naval Design is a php genius!!!!!

Collectors-info · #**126** 01-30-2007, 11:18 PM

Hi Naval, everything is great with the php pages, but one small thing I can’t seem to solve using .php pages. I use the BV’s Menu bar, but on a few pages I seem to have problems with the menu part of the link loading? Everything that is on the same link loads IE: the images & other text, but quite often have to hit the refresh button a few times to get the menu to show up. Could it be anything to do with java side of things? Or do you think it could even be the java at my end.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

navaldesign · #**127** 01-31-2007, 05:35 AM

No Chris,

This is something that happens even with simple BV pages, if (usually) the page has already some heavy content, and the connection timesout before the button images are loaded.

I also had this problem sometimes. I also disliked the delay in button mouseover and mouseout effects. Solution: CSS text based menu. Fast and Furious (hehe)

Collectors-info · #**128** 01-31-2007, 10:54 AM

Hi, thanks for getting back & the info. This type of menu I will do for myself, but I will be making a site for someone & wanted to keep it very simple for them. (And me)
But I did find a post on the way pages load on this forum & it appears that if you make the (let say) menu part that’s going into an html box, that may have an image & a bit of normal text in the same area as where the menu is going. It seems that if you place the menu on last, it will be the 1st part to load in a browser. So! if the html box with this menu is also the last to be placed on the mother page, the theory is that it will be the 1st part to load???????
I have tried this & it appears to be right, as I haven’t had the problem since.
Just not sure if this is technically correct or true or I have just got lucky for a short wile.

Cheers.

navaldesign · #**129** 01-31-2007, 11:56 AM

I have read that post also, but i (technically) disagree. Browsers read the code as it is created, and the code that BV creates places elements in the order they are created (unless you use the "bring infront" tool).

Collectors-info · #**130** 01-31-2007, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navaldesign

I have read that post also, but i (technically) disagree. Browsers read the code as it is created, and the code that BV creates places elements in the order they are created (unless you use the "bring infront" tool).

Sorry! I meant to say about bringing to the front. Just on another little note: can the html boxes be made transparent (I think is the right phrase) to enable clicking on links underneath. Sometimes will end up with 4-5 html boxes & some will cover links in others.

Thanks.

navaldesign · #**131** 01-31-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Collectors-info

Sorry! I meant to say about bringing to the front. Just on another little note: can the html boxes be made transparent (I think is the right phrase) to enable clicking on links underneath. Sometimes will end up with 4-5 html boxes & some will cover links in others.

Thanks.

???? I make my html boxes the same size of the element they need to insert in the page, so they don't cover anything else. Or maybe i have missread your post ?

Bethers · #**132** 01-31-2007, 06:12 PM

Your html boxes should be the size of what they are doing - and if anything you're putting in them needs to be a link - you need to make it one by using the proper html - not putting it under the box.

As Naval said, no html box should be covering another one - or anything else for that matter.

Collectors-info · #**133** 01-31-2007, 09:34 PM

Hi Beth, don’t think this is quite right. If you look at the image below, this is how I set up all my pages up. I was going to put a post up about it & how to do it. But if you could let me know why not to do it this way it could save me a bit of embarrassment. lol
I have worked a simple way to place as many php/html elements on the page without having to line one a thing up & have them all perfect.
Have a look at this link below & you can see what I am working on. All these pages where made this way & have at least 3 to 4 html boxes on each page.
http://www.webbiesite.com/templates/redtemplate/

Hah! I shrunk my image to much. Oh well. You will get the idea.

navaldesign · #**134** 01-31-2007, 10:10 PM

Cool Template. However Chris, why don't you give the html boxes the actual size and position of the element that they are calling ?

Collectors-info · #**135** 01-31-2007, 11:29 PM

Hi Naval,
I think it was just a case that it all seems to be working ok, doing it this way, so i just placed them tight in the top corner.
The way I set my pages up means that I dint have to try and get the html box in the right position & keep uploading to the server to check they are in line & matching up with the rest of the page. (This can be a pain with narrow boarder lines) So if an html box gets moved, I just push it to the top corner & I know the page will be back to normal. I will be making quite a few styles of these templates, so needed a simple way to adjust things quickly. & for others to do the same.
I don’t think its doing any harm??? (Hope not)
The only part I can’t sort out is the contact us drop down menu going behind the flash photo album. I think flash is going to rule & win this one.

Cheers.
PS. The only thing I do check on, is make sure the menu is brought to the front.